RIJIMMY, I'm in the same boat as you so to speak. For all the years in the late 80's to mid 90's, we could not catch a striped bass to save our lives. Prior to 1988, we stood on the beaches, jetties and bridges and casted and would just get scup and we would watch the bluefish blitz just out of casting range. Then the boat or the period known as A.B. for After Boat and it was still a learning curve to find out where all the fish hung out and what to use to catch them but to be able to see the fish, or in many cases now, to not even see the fish and just know that they are in the water, cast out, begin reeling in and getting that hit and feeling the line and rod go tight is always the magic. Like you and your dad, my dad too, loves to catch bluefish and either smoke them or what we have been doing a lot of lately in ripping them as soon as they get on the boat, removing that bloodline at the top by the spine and icing them, then filleting them back at home, marinading them in vinegar, garlic some salt and pepper and after 24-48 hours, take them out and either grill them or fry them up and boy, it is so good. Even better once they are fried is let them set in the fridge for a day or two then fry them again to heat them up and it is like fish jerky, you could pack it away and sail the seven seas.
My mom passed away suddenly this past October, we thought she had years to go but such is life, I was in a position to buy a new boat and wanted to get my dad out on it before the unthinkable happens so we have been out all season having the best season of all time. Of course the new boat has 100 more hp than his boat and is longer and bigger in every dimension than the one we had spent a good 20 years on so we get to the fishing grounds fresh and go home much fresher. Never ashamed to admit . . .
RI, perhaps we could start a site,
www.bluefish.com, ha, ha, ha. Imagine the trolls?, and even the humor? or the questions about what to use for bluefish or spot burning bluefish???, would be a riot methinks.